Potter brings ‘versatility,’ ‘people skills’ to superintendency

Liverpool  The Liverpool Central School District conducted a nationwide search for its new superintendent, but it needn’t have looked far from home.

Last week, the LCSD Board of Education announced the appointment of Mark Potter to the position. Potter, who is currently serving as the district’s executive director of secondary education, will start Aug. 1, replacing Interim Superintendent Edward P. Backus. Backus took over for Dr. Richard N. Johns, who went out on medical leave in March. Johns joined the district in 2009.

Potter served as an athletic director and principal at Altmar-Parish-Williamstown before coming to Liverpool in 2007 as the coordinator of academics and acting athletic director. At Liverpool, Potter was also the principal of the FOCUS program during the 2011-12 school year. Budget cuts closed down the program after just a year. He moved into central administration last year after Ellen Kuno’s retirement, taking over as executive director of secondary education.

Potter said he decided late in the process to apply for the position at Liverpool, though he has applied to other districts in the past.

“I have applied and interviewed for superintendent’s positions in the past, at Phoenix two years ago and at Central Square last year, so it’s always been part of my career plan to look at the position of superintendent,” he said. “With regard to Liverpool, I didn’t start thinking about it until last November and I didn’t actually submit anything until the brochure came out in January.”

Potter was one of 20 applicants, 12 of whom were accepted by the BOE, according to board President Patricia DeBona-Rosier. Five candidates were determined to be viable, and the board then narrowed the field to three. Potter was selected as the best for the job in part because he already has an intimate knowledge of the district.